de brame



J. A. DE BRAME. BRBEGH LOADING ORDNANGE.

No. 34,025. Patented Dec. 24, 1861.

7752 72 68 Sea: R

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. A. Dlfl BRAME, 0F NE\V.YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND JEREMIAH GURNEY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT iN BREECH -LOADING CRDNANCE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,025, dated December 24, 1861.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, J. A. DE Bnazumof the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Ordnance; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of a field-piece with 'my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a back view of the same. ,Fig. 4 is a'transverse section of the breech in the red line m as shown in Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre- V sponding parts in the several figures.

This invention consists in a certain mode of applying a rotatingmany-chamhered cylinder 'in combination with a fixed barrel, and in certain means of rotating the said cylinder to bring the several chambers successively in line with the barrel.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A A B O D E is the carriage, constructed like any ordinary gun-carriage, except that thereis a greater space between the side pieces, A A, to make room between them for the quadrangular wrought -iron or other metal frame F, to the front of which is rigidly secured the fixed barrel G, and which receives within it the rotating many-chambered cylinder H. This frame has passing longitudinally through it the axis-pin a, upon which the cylinder H rotates, and lh llitS formed upon or socured rigidly to its sides the trunnions b' 11 of the gun, which are fitted to bearings 12 p in the side pieces, A A, of the carriage in the same manner as though formed on the body of the gun-itself in the usual manner. The said frame has applied under its rear end an elevatingserew, J, by which the elevation of the gun is adjusted in the same manner as that of an ordinary gun, the trunnions b b moving in their hearings in such adjustment in the samemanner as those of an ordinary gun. The chambers q q of the cylinder H are bored right through the rear of the said chamber, and the rear portion of the frame F constitutes a breech to that chamber which is at any time in line with the fixed barrel G. The axis-pin ais arranged parallel with the bore of the barrel G, and at such a distance above the said barrel that a chamber in line with the barrel is directly under the said pin. The axis-piuhas the portion which is received within the front part of the frame F cylindrical, but larger than the portion which passes through the cylinder, so that it fits up to the front end of the cylinder with a shoulder, r,'as shown in Fig. 1, and the so enlarged part of the said pin is made with a feather or fin to prevent the said pin from turning in the frame F. The rear end of the said pin protrudes through the rear end of the frame, and has a screw-thread out upon its exterior for the. reception of a nut, M, which is provided with a lever or handle to enable it to be turned by hand for the purpose of drawing back the shoulder 1' against the front end of the cylinder, and so drawing back the cylinder against the rearend of the frame Ewhich constitutes the breech, and so making a gastight breech-joint. The cylinder is-so fitted between the ends of theframe F that when the nut M is unscrewed sufficiently to relieve the forward end of the cylinder of the pressure of the shoulder 'r the cylinder will just turn freely within said frame.

The rear end of the frame F constituting the breech is provided with a nipple, s, or

priming-tube and vent, to enable the charge in the chamber opposite the stationarybarrel G to be fired.

The cylinder F has turned in it at its rear' end a rabbet, t, Fig. l, for the reception of a ring, N, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, which is fitted snugly thcreinto flush with the rear end of the cylinder, and this cylinder is connected by a fork and pin, it a, with a lever, O, which works has attached to it by a spring, 20, a tooth, w, Fig. 4, which works through a hole in the saidringandenters notches y 9 in the said cylinder, said notches being at equal distances apart, and correspondingin number with the."

number of chambers q q The tooth to is beveled on one side, to enableit to slip out of the notches y y whenthe ring is turned in the direction of the arrow 5, Fig..

- 4, and thus to enable the ring to move inde pendently of the cylinder in that direction,

but the said tooth compels thecylinder to turn.

with the ring when it engages in one of the .said notches while the ring isturned infth'e. opposite directions To prevent the cylinder being moved with the ring by the friction be-' 7 tween them when the ring is moved in the di- 7 rection of the arrow 5,-a stop-pin, 2, Fig. 4, is

arranged to slide through a hole provided for it in one side of the frame F and enter, one

by one, the notches y -y in the cylinder, and

this stop-pin has applied to it a spring, 2:, which tendsto press it toward the cylinder andlor'ce it into the said notches as they'severally arrive opposite to it. This stop-pin is withdrawn by hand from the notches when it is desiredto turn the cylinder to carry one 'chamber out of line with the barrel and bring the next chamber in line therewith.

A slot, z, is provided in thetrin g N, to allow it to move-upon the stop-pin z far enough to presentthe severalchambers successively in line with the barrel.

The several chambers of the cylinder are loaded from their rear, while their rear ends are exposed in an open condition above the rear of the frame I and the loaded chambers are successively brought between the breech and-stationary barrel by a movement of the" andeauses the pin w to bring the cylinder along with it-,; as indicated by the arrow 6, shown upon the cylinder in Fig.1, thus removing one chambcr-out-of line with the barg rel and bringing another which is loaded in line therewith. The stop-pin zmay be released as soon as the movement of the lever to the left has commenced, and when the loaded chamber arrives opposite to the barrel the spring'z slips into anew notch, y,.andlocks it in that position, ready to have the charge contained in it fired by-a hammer properly applied to'strike a percussion-cap which has been placed on the nipple s, or by any other shitv able means. Before firing the nut M istightened up to tighten the breech-joint, as before described, and this must be slackened again before-the next movement of the cylinder can beetiected. The movement of the-lever O is properly limited by means of a fixed yoke, P,

secured to the bottom of the framcF; but such yoke is not absolutely necessary. The

said yoke, however, constitutes a convenient bearing for the elevating'screw J.

H H is a folding screen, attached to the car-- riage of the gun for the purpose of protecting the artillerymen from the enemys riflemen when in action, and capable 'ofbeing folded up in such; mannerthat it may ofi'er no in.

pediment to the movement of the piece from place to place. Y

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-'-' 1. The axis-pin a, having a shoulder, r, and" fitted to the cylinder-frame ,F, and rotating many-chambered cylinder, substantially as herein described, and furnished with ascrew-' thread receiving a nut, M, applied in rear of the cylinderframe, to operate substantially as herein set forth,for the pnrpose of making a.

t-i ght joint between theopen rears of the chambers and a breech formedby the rear'end of the cylinder-frame. v

. 2. The combination,withtherotatingmanychambered cylinder H, of the ringN, thelever v 0, the spring-tooth 'w, and the stop-pin z, said tooth and pin operating in combination with notches 3 3 in the cylinder, substantiallyi'as and for the purpose herein specified.

, v I. A. on BRAME.

Witnesses:

M, M. LIVINGSTON, Jnms Lamp. 

